A teor falling from the distant sky dragged a long tail behind it, like a brilliant and sharp blade, splitting the night and the dawn.
As it drew closer, Chen Ji’s face was gradually illuminated by the light of the teor until the sky was as bright as day.
With that arrow, Heavenly Horse had forcefully shot through the Eight Gates Golden Lock Formation!
Heavenly Horse.
Chen Ji had finally waited.
After the teor Arrow pierced through the talismanic array, it seed to grow eyes, subtly altering its trajectory, and went straight for Mr. Feng’s face!
Mr. Feng stood with his hands behind his back, gazing upwards at the incoming arrow, utterly motionless.
"Jiang Yan."
Jiang Yan, pulling several vermillion talismans from his sleeve, hurled them into the sky. After a brief pause in the air, the talismans flew straight toward the arrow as if they were sentient.
Six talismans were released, each colliding with the teor Arrow and transforming it into a handful of stars in the night sky.
"How beautiful," Mr. Feng exclaid.
Chen Ji scrutinized the man carefully.
This Mr. Feng, clad in a blue robe, had been seated for quite so ti, yet not a single wrinkle marred his attire, revealing his composure and unchanged expression, showing no concern for Heavenly Horse’s arrival.
As if it didn’t matter whether Heavenly Horse arrived or not.
Calm.
This Mr. Feng was too calm.
At this mont, Mr. Feng turned to Chen Ji, smiling as he asked, "Young man, I’ve calculated the timing, and Heavenly Horse must have set off the mont you were attacked to arrive just now. The Spy Departnt is far in Luocheng City, so how did they know about this affair here, and why did they arrive so tily?"
Chen Ji also looked at Mr. Feng, honestly replying, "It must be that a traitor from the Liu Family leaked your assassination plan to the Spy Departnt. Mr. Feng, you must investigate this traitor thoroughly, as failure to resolve this could lead to great trouble."
Mr. Feng suddenly seed to realize, "I see, but it seems like you knew Heavenly Horse would co, hence your persistent stalling."
Chen Ji tensed inwardly, "I didn’t know he would co. I was just trying to survive each mont as it ca."
Mr. Feng smiled lightly, "Then I have another doubt, the Top Three Zodiacs hold noble identities, capable of commanding the Twelve Imperial Supervisors and twenty-four governnt offices, acting first and reporting later. Such a figure, why would he co to rescue you?"
Chen Ji remained silent.
Mr. Feng smiled, "Young man, the ti earlier when we were waiting for Heavenly Horse was sowhat a show of respect for the little chivalry left in the world. But for Heavenly Horse to co so far to save you indicates that you are a very important person, I must kill you."
The next mont, Chen Ji turned and ran crazily in the direction from which the teor Arrow had co, with Heavenly Horse still at a distance, he had to remain alive until Heavenly Horse arrived!
Seeing him flee, Jiang Yan suddenly threw out nine vermillion talisman papers. These talismans paused briefly in the air, then like multicolored birds, they shot towards him.
The mountain wind howled, and the talismans whistled through the air.
In a critical mont, Chen Ji focused and turned back to et the attack, one slice, two slices, three slices...six slices!
The bright blade traced jagged white lines through the air, slicing one talisman after another. As the blade cut through each talisman, they fluttered down onto decayed leaves like deflating balloons.
However, Chen Ji only had ti to make six cuts, with the remaining three already swooping towards him.
He twisted his body on the spot, trying his best to dodge vitally, the seventh talisman sliced past his shoulder and the eighth across his waist, both leaving trails of blood.
The ninth talisman flew past Chen Ji’s ear, rely slicing off a strand of his hair. However, before he could even catch his breath, he saw the talisman change direction and fly back towards the back of his head.
This ninth talisman was different from the others, the first eight were just setting the stage, the ninth was the finale!
Chen Ji looked back, intending to block with his blade, but could only watch helplessly as it approached directly in front of him.
Whoosh!
A teor Arrow flew in from the side, carrying a strong wind and swirling leaves, pierced through the talisman just in front of Chen Ji’s nose, pinning it to a nearby tree trunk, transitioning into a handful of stars.
Chen Ji’s cheeks stung from the wind, his hair, dislodged from its ties, fluttered uncontrollably.
He heard footsteps approaching beside him, turned, and saw Jin Zhu, out of breath, positioning himself in front of him as if facing a great enemy, staring intently at Mr. Feng.
Chen Ji leaned on his sword and suddenly took a deep breath.
This was the first ti he felt a sense of relief when he saw Jin Zhu... finally, the rescue had arrived.
Jin Zhu didn’t look at him, but instead said to Mr. Feng with a forced smile, "Good evening, Mr. Feng. Why are you not sleeping at ho at this late hour but out here attempting murder?"
Mr. Feng responded with a smile, "Good evening."
Footsteps treading on dry leaves echoed from the forest. Chen Ji looked and saw Heavenly Horse, dressed in white, stepping slowly out from under the shadow of the trees, standing in front of him and Jin Zhu, gazing expressionlessly at Mr. Feng.
Jin Zhu also exhaled in relief...
Then, Heavenly Horse made several hand gestures at Mr. Feng and then coldly mid a cutting motion across his neck.
Mr. Feng laughed loudly, "I don’t understand, I don’t understand!"
Jin Zhu translated, "Heavenly Horse says, how about he treats everyone to a bowl of beef noodles and we call it even?"
Heavenly Horse turned back to glance at Jin Zhu.
Mr. Feng couldn’t help but both cry and laugh, "Although I don’t understand sign language, I know that Heavenly Horse isn’t inviting to eat beef noodles, especially since eating beef noodles doesn’t involve cutting necks."
Jin Zhu chuckled, "Just kidding, just kidding. Mr. Feng, as the Spy Departnt serves the imperial guard, opposing us constitutes a cri of rebellion. If you continue fighting tonight, there would be no place for you in this vast world."
Mr. Feng waved his hand nonchalantly, "Don’t try to scare with that. Just by leaving you three here in the mountains, who else would know what I did? Young lad, the people you’re waiting for have arrived, and so have mine."
As his voice fell, intense sounds of iron hooves and clamor rose from the mountain base. The group looked in the distance to see a thousand n with torches rushing up the mountain.
Not only were there people from Dragon King Valley at the base of the mountain, but there were also a thousand soldiers holding torches charging toward the mountainside.
Chen Ji furrowed his brows. Had Mr. Feng intended to use himself to bait Heavenly Horse and Jin Zhu here from the beginning?
No, that can’t be right. How could the other party have known he could summon Jin Zhu using Shrouding Cloud Gate?
At this mont, Jin Zhu said to Heavenly Horse, "Let’s go, we can’t break through an army of a thousand!"
Heavenly Horse seed deaf, staring motionlessly at Mr. Feng.
Jin Zhu grew anxious.
He tugged at Heavenly Horse’s clothes and whispered urgently, "Are you crazy? This mountain is filled with their n. We need to run now, don’t linger for a fight!"
But Heavenly Horse ignored him and drew his bow to full, shooting an arrow at both Mr. Feng and Jiang Yan!
Jin Zhu was completely upset and, taking advantage of the chaos, turned and pulled Chen Ji to run.
Looking back, Chen Ji saw Mr. Feng, beside a bluestone, dodge an arrow with a tilt of his head, then he looked towards Chen Ji with a smile that was not quite a smile. There was no pursuit, no anger, just an inscrutable smile that made it impossible to guess what the other was thinking.
As the two fled, Jin Zhu turned to ask Chen Ji, "Did you breakthrough in the middle of the fight just now?"
Chen Ji suddenly realized it wasn’t just Shrouding Cloud Gate; the Mountain Lord Sect’s Scripture, too, would provide feedback about Jin Zhu’s cultivation!
He humd in response, "I did breakthrough, but I don’t know what realm I’m in now."
Jin Zhu’s eyes lit up, completely forgetting the pain he had endured for three whole hours, "Postnatal Realm, almost touching the threshold of the Innate. You’re sothing alright, kid—startling when you do cultivate!"
While running, Chen Ji asked casually, "How did you know I had a breakthrough during the fight?"
Jin Zhu was taken aback and scrambled for an answer, "Mr. Feng was here, if you hadn’t had a breakthrough, you probably wouldn’t have survived this long."
While talking, he eyed the Whale Blade in Chen Ji’s hand and then glanced back at the talisman paper that had been split in two on the ground.
Jin Zhu’s eyes flickered with doubt, but after hesitating for a mont, he ultimately asked nothing.
Chen Ji asked, "Sir, are we just going to abandon Heavenly Horse?"
Jin Zhu gritted his teeth, "If he’s bent on seeking death, why should I bother? In front of an army formation, even a master from the Divine Realm would have to retreat three asures. What is he trying to prove? Let him die here. Let’s run!"
Chen Ji noticed that Jin Zhu was not entirely focused on escaping, occasionally looking toward the battlefield where Heavenly Horse was. However, all they could see was a streak of light from a falling star passing by, unclear what exactly was happening.
As they ran down the mountain, a large group of soldiers coming to capture them suddenly t them head-on, and Jin Zhu, pulling Chen Ji, turned and ran in desperation.
They changed directions several tis to no avail, as it seed enemies were everywhere.
Jin Zhu complained, "Damn it, how did the Liu Family station so many private soldiers here... Wait, what’s that sound?"
From the base of the mountain ca the noise of soldiers being thrown into disarray by a sudden attack.
Through gaps in the trees, Chen Ji could see a huge shadow under the moonlight knocking soldiers holding torches to the ground, charging towards the middle of the mountain!
The torches fell on dry leaves, igniting a massive wildfire that, fanned by the wind, quickly spread up the mountain!
Jin Zhu was perplexed, "What’s happening?"
Before Chen Ji could respond, a voice resonating with utmost effort ca from the firelight, "Chen Ji!"
Jin Zhu suddenly turned to Chen Ji, "Commandery Princess’s voice?!"
The voices of the Princely Heir and Zhang Xia also ca, "Chen Ji! Chen Ji, where are you?!"
Chen Ji rushed into the firelight, but Jin Zhu grabbed him, "Are you bloody mad? This wildfire runs faster than a man. What are you going to do?"
With a thunderous sound, a tall warhorse leaped, soaring like a flying boat across the sea of flas, landing in front of Chen Ji.
Chen Ji looked up in bewildernt as the Princely Heir, Commandery Princess, and Zhang Xia sat on horseback, their faces covered in dust, with fierce flas raging behind them.
Bai Li exclaid with joy, "Ah, Chen Ji, we finally found you! Quick, get on the horse; we’ve co to pick you up!"
Chen Ji asked in a daze, "Didn’t I tell you to escape imdiately? How did you end up here?"
The Princely Heir laughed heartily, "How could we abandon our friend and still be children of Jianghu?"
With that, he bent over and extended his hand, "Quick, get on the horse!"
Chen Ji turned to look at Jin Zhu, "Sir..."
Jin Zhu took a deep breath and slowly backed away, "You go with them, kid, survive you must. Otherwise, I’d suffer a great loss!"
With those words, he turned and ran towards the direction of the battle where Heavenly Horse was engaged.
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